Issue with deposit

nicolo

Hi all,

Having a bit of a problem with my old letting agents galvin. I recently moved out of an apartment I had been living in for 3 years. In that time I had no complaints registered against me and the only issue I had was when I tried to get something sorted Galvin would take weeks to even respond if they ever did at all.

I gave them 30 days notice in the run up to the end of the years lease agreement and allowed them access to the property to show and inspect it on three occasions.
During this time I showed them the issues I had contacted them about and they took photos etc.

On the last inspection I asked if there was anything else I needed to do to get my deposit back and they said they would like the floor remopped, the freezer defrosted and one of the toilets bleached.

After they left I did what they asked and then left the property neat and tidy.
I then received an email saying they had re-evaluated the house and I now had to pay a €75 cleaning fee. I was a bit annoyed since the issues they had, could have been mentioned to me on one of the three visits to the property but I let it go as the couch did have some cat hair on it (I was allowed pets)

However they then tried to charge me to call out an electrician to fix the issues I had been trying to get them to fix for months. In the lease it says the landlord is responsible for all internal fittings and so I refused to pay it. It's been way over a week at this stage and they won't even reply to my emails now.

I need the money back as I had to pay for my new place too and am absolutely smashed broke.

Anyone have any advice?

pacman1989

CC in e mail of some made up solicitor e mail barrysolcitors@eircom.net :-) Should get there rears in gear. Might not work but worth a try. In my experience certain estate agents can be extremely difficult to get deposits back from. They want the place cleaner than when you moved in.

djimi

The reality is all you can do is request, in writing, a full breakdown of the deductions from the deposit, along with a receipt/invoice to back it up, and if you have any queries about any of the deductions then you need to take a case with the PRTB.

Have you got evidence to back up your side of the story? Copy of correspondance about issues, photographs showing the state of the house when you left etc?

djimi

pacman1989 wrote: »

CC in e mail of some made up solicitor e mail barrysolcitors@eircom.net :-) Should get there rears in gear. Might not work but worth a try.

To be honest I really wouldnt bother pulling a stunt like that; its a waste of time and they would see through it straight away.

nicolo

Right so I got the invoices back for "cleaning" and it says the folowing..


Works carried out:
 The fan at the cooker had seized due to lack of maintenance. The level of grease was unbelievable. The fan controls had seized. We took these apart and serviced/repaired and clean extractor filters €50  Supply and fit new ceiling lights in kitchen, Fit new bulbs where necessary – 8 in total €30  All skirting and dado rails had to be cleaned prior to painting. They were in appalling condition, bleach all wardrobe doors – again, these were filthy Clean whole apartment, pressed, appliances, doors, walls, Bleach and mop all floors, all skirting and dado rails had to be cleaned prior to painting. They were in appalling condition, bleach all wardrobe doors – again, these were filthy €130
Materials & labour €210 VAT@13.5% €28.35 238.35
TOTAL DUE €238.35

I have no idea how to degrease an extractor fan is that a tenants responsibility? also the broken button I had contacted them about and requested be fixed numerous times to no avail.

The rest of the house was in no way as bad as they claim and they sent out three separate agents to the house to inspect it. all of whom informed me that the house was fine and so long as I left it clean and tidy when I left I would be ok getting my deposit back. they mentioned a €75 cleaning fee if they did find something but since then its now, as you can see, gone up to €238.
Surely when the letting agent tells me the house is fine that's an endorsement that the house isn't "appalling"

Seriously these guys are such scumbags. They only ever contact me at the very last minute of the day despite when I contact them so when I reply i have to wait a whole day to hear anything back. I've contacted the PRTB an they said to contact Threshold and ask their advice and when I know what I want to do that I can register a dispute with them (the PRTB) and they will take it from there.

nicolo

According to the PRTB I have to deal directly with the landlord and not the tenants so hopefully that should put the ****s up them, but they're probably under orders from him to bleed the tenant dry of as much of the deposit as possible. only hope lies in having met the man and him saying he hates having to deal with anything to do with the property and that's why he uses the letting agent.

1984baby

Contact the PRTB. They will deal with your problems with the letting agents. If they did not register the letting with the PRTB, then they are screwed - big fines etc....

nicolo

Jesus that'd be sweet. think i am registered though.

1984baby

http://www.prtb.ie/dispute-resolution/submit-a-dispute-online

I'd contact the PRTB and let them solve it. They charge enough to register a house so let them do some work.

Also have a look at: http://www.threshold.ie/

BeatNikDub

Hey Nic! (Nikki here)

Check and make sure they have a licence too! Could be a card to keep up your sleeve. All estate agents, selling or renting MUST have a licence to practice.

Full list is here
http://www.psr.ie/website/npsra/npsraweb.nsf/page/publicregister-en